Parish Papers eBook

Are these sources of evidence not sufficient wherewith
to determine, to the conviction of the universe, each
man’s character at the judgment of the great
day? Should more be required, many other witnesses
may be summoned, if necessary, before the white throne.
Satan and wicked spirits are ready to accuse the sinner,
and to prove how he yielded to temptation, became
habit and repute in sin, and a willing and active
instrument for destroying others. True, Satan
is a liar; but is this testimony a lie?
Can these accusations, if false, be disproved?
Can Christ be appealed to either as to their falsehood,
or for exculpatory evidences of genuine repentance
or new life? And holy angels, too, are there,
who will be able to testify as to whether this man
ever gave them joy as a true penitent, was the object
of their ministrations as an heir of salvation, or
known to them as a fellow-worker in Christ’s
kingdom upon earth. Relations, friends, neighbours,
church-members, are also there to tell, at Christ’s
bidding, what was the manner of his life in the family,
in society, or in the “household of God.”
What has this man as a father, husband, or child,
done? What example did he set? What temper
and conduct did he manifest at home? What was
his influence as a companion? Did he lead to
hell or heaven? What did Christians find him to
be as a fellow-Christian? Was he cruel and covetous,
slothful and indifferent, uncharitable and censorious;
or loving, zealous, and self-denying, the author of
peace and lover of concord, a friend and brother?
Oh! surely, even now we can easily see how there can
be no want of means at the great day of judgment,
by which, without any revelation from the unerring
and all-seeing Judge himself, each man’s character
may be searched and known to its inmost depths, and
in all its minute details be revealed.

And now, reader, before we proceed, let us here entreat
of you to examine your present life. We ask,
whether you think it possible that it can afford any
evidence upon that day of sincere love to Jesus Christ?—­anything
which can warrant the Judge to say to you, “Well
done, good and faithful servant?”—­anything
in your aims, wishes, purposes, pursuits, endeavours,
which evidence the existence in the least degree of
that kind of life which is the result of being
born and sanctified by God’s Spirit, and cannot
otherwise be accounted for?

How many shrink from that examination now,
which must take place then! But is it not wiser
to know your sins, and see your danger now, when the
one can be pardoned, and the other averted, than, for
the first time, to awake to a sense of both, when your
sins can never more, as far as man can discover, be
removed, and your danger, if real, must end in ruin?
We have many foreshadowings of judgment revealed to
us by Christ; and we have the unavailing pleadings
of those who desire to be recognised as among His
friends. “Lord, Lord!” cry some,